HERI – Research Actions Database

Welcome to the HERI Research Actions Database. The database provides details of past and present research actions related to all aspects of hydropower. The database has been structured following the categorisation developed for the HYDROPOWER EUROPE research and innovation agenda, and Strategic Industry Roadmap.

The database contents have been collated from a variety of organisations working on research actions across all sectors of the hydropower industry. The information has been share freely and is available as open access. You can search the database or add details of new initiatives to the database via the buttons below.

A brief video introduction to HERI:

 

What, why and how we use data ➧

Don't see your research project listed?

Click Here

Socially and Environmentally harmonized HYDRopower Operations

Description

Hydropower currently provides around one third of Europe’s renewable electricity and is essential for providing grid flexibility and ensuring a resilient European power system. However, increasing the operational flexibility of energy systems must not come at the expense of healthy rivers or public trust. SE-HYDRO is developing the next generation of hydropower management solutions, combining advanced digital technologies, ecological approaches and participatory governance to help hydropower plants (HPP) operate more flexibly while protecting ecosystems and responding to societal expectations. As one of the first Horizon Europe Societal Readiness Pilot (SRP) projects, SE-Hydro places local communities and stakeholders at the heart of innovation, strengthening hydropower’s long-term sustainability.

Organisations

Funding

  • European funding

Specific Funding Sources:
N/A

Level of Action:

Applications

Small-hydro, Run-of-the-River

Keywords

Awareness, Communication, Digitalization, Ecology, Flexibility, Habitat modelling, Hydraulics, Modeling / Simulation, River management, River morphology, Sediments, Turbines

Areas of Research

Research and Innovation Agenda

  • Enhancing flexibility of run-of-river power plants and using existing run-of-river cascades for energy storage
  • Overall assessment models of run-of-river, storage and pumped storage power plants regarding market and socio-economic issues
  • Integration of weather and flow forecast with production plans, flood reduction risks, environmental flows and other water uses
  • Developing novel environmental scanning methods and tools
  • Developing innovative and sustainable sedimentation management methods and solutions enabling sediment continuity at dams and weirs
  • Measures and approaches to protect biodiversity
  • Investigating linked effects on biological community's resilience population dynamics and diversity through analysing different ecological flows in various geographical contexts
  • Evaluate, study and propose improvement of river ecology and fish habitat
  • Turbine design
  • Environmentally compatible solutions for hydro-power plants through harsher conditions of operation and interdisciplinary research
  • Innovative and comprehensive approaches for successful hydropower projects and win-win situations

Strategic Industry Roadmap

  • Development of Regional Multi-Stakeholder Forums
  • Development of Tools and Approaches to Increase Social Acceptance
  • Development of a community of practice to foster capacity-building, peer-learning and replication

Last Updated: 24/08/2026 15:24

Request Editing Rights

SE-HYDRO

Call Number

HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D3-04 -

Project Number

101269565

Start Date
2026
End Date
2029

Budget Range
€1,000,000 - €5,000,000

Project website

 

« Back